The Novelty of Popery Opposed to the Antiquity of True Christianity, Book 1 · Chapter 51
CHAP. 51. Of the pretended power and authority of the Church to add unto Scripture. And of the unwritten Traditions. And why the Pope not only equalleth them unto, but preferreth them before the holy Scripture.
ONe of the chief proofs that our Adverſaries bring to raiſe the authority of the Church above the holy Scripture, is the power which they aſcribe unto the Church to add unto Scripture, and to make Laws (which concern faith and manners) not contained in the Scripture. The Jeſuit Gregorius de Valentia ſaith, that the(a)Greg. de Valentia Analyſ. l. 5. c. 3. in titulo Scripturam non eſſe ſufficientem regulam fidei. Scripture is not a ſufficient rule of faith, becauſe it contains not all things. The Jeſuit Bayle in the ninth queſtion of his Catechiſm, I will make you (ſaith he) palpably diſcern, that Scripture is not ſufficient. And ſo Charron in the fourth chapter of the third verity: Scripture is but a very little parcel of the revealed truth. Salmeron gives a reaſon why God would not have all the Myſteries of Religion to be written, namely,(b)Salmer. Tom. 13. Diſp. 8. §. Quinto opus. Hoc litteris conſignari minimè debuerat, ut ſervaretur praeceptum Chriſti, Nolite dare ſanctum canibus. That the Commandment of Chriſt ſhould be kept, Give not holy things unto Dogs. So that in his account, the holy Scripture is for Dogs:(c)Coſter. Praefat. Enchirid. In ea tamen omnia contineri valde impudenter affirmare non verentur, &c. A Chriſto videtur cautum ne omnia fidei dogmata Scriptis commendarentu…, dum ait, Nolite dare ſanctum canibus. Coſterus ſaith the ſame.
And that one may not think that the Traditions which the Church addeth unto Scripture, be of ſmall concernment;(d)Thomas 2a. 2ae. quaeſt. 1. art. 10. Ad ſolam authoritatem ſummi Pontificis pertinet nova editio ſymboli. Thomas Aquinas ſaith, that the Pope can make a new Edition of the Symbol. Upon which Text, Andradius in the ſecond book of the defence of the Tridentine faith, ſaith,(e)Andrad. Romanos Pontifices multa definiendo quae ante latitabant, ſymbolum fidei augere conſueviſſe. The Roman Popes by defining many things which had been hidden before, uſe to augment the Symbol of the Faith. Whence the Council of Florence, in the laſt Seſſion attributes to the Pope and to the Roman Church the power of adding to the Symbol. The Bull Exurge, which is at the end of the laſt Council of Lateran, condemneth Luther for ſaying that it is not in the power of the Pope and the Roman Church to ſtabliſh new Articles of Faith.
Hence it appears, that our Adverſaries hold, that unwritten Traditions which are wanting unto Scripture, are not only light things and indifferent cuſtoms, but ſuch as are held to be Articles of faith, eſſential points, and neceſſary to Chriſtian Religion, as the Jeſuit Salmeron ſaith,(f)Salmer. Tom. XIII. part. 3. Diſp. 6. §. Eſt ergo. Doctrina fidei admittit additionem in eſſentialibus. The Doctrine of faith ſuffereth addition in eſſential things. Whence it follows, that Chriſtian Religion had not yet all her eſſential Doctrines in the time of the Apoſtles, and was wanting in things neceſſary. For the ſame Jeſuit in the ſame place is prolix in maintaining, that(g)Salmer. ibid. §. Tertio varia. Hinc colligi poteſt non omnia tradita eſſe ab Apoſtolis, ſed ea quae tunc temporis neceſſaria & quae ad ſalutem credentium idonea erant. there are many Traditions, even in things eſſential, which the Apoſtles have not taught, neither by word nor writing. So that by a great abuſe, they call all traditions Apoſtolical, there being many Doctrines of which the Apoſtles have neither written nor ſpoken. For (ſaith he) all things have not been taught by the Apoſtles, but ſuch as were then neceſſary and fit for the ſalvation of Believers. By that reaſon there are ſome Doctrines that now are neceſſary and eſſential to faith, which were not ſo in the Apoſtles time. It were good to know when Chriſtian Religion ſhall be perfected, and whether the Popes ſhall have always the power to add new Articles of faith.
M. du Perron in the fifth obſervation of the ſecond book, chap. 3. is very ample upon that point. And as in the third obſervation, he maintains that the Church can change the Scripture, and make other Laws; ſo in this place he maintains that the Church can add to Scripture, and make traditions of equal authority to Scripture.
To this Tradition our Adverſaries have recourſe, when Scripture faileth them. So did the old Hereticks, as Irenaeus ſaith in the third book, chap. 2. When one convicteth Hereticks by Scripture, they will accuſe the Scriptures as not being in good form, and having no authority, and diverſly ſpoken, and becauſe truth cannot be found in Scripture by thoſe that know not tradition, becauſe it was not given in Writing, but viva voce. For which cauſe, Paul ſaid, We ſpeak Wiſdom among the perfect. (h)Lib. de Monogam. c. 2.Tertullian being turned Heretick defended his error by tradition, alledging theſe words of the Lord, I have yet many things to ſay unto you, but as yet you cannot bear them. Which Text(i)Bellar. l. de verbo Dei non ſcripto, c. 3. Bellarmine and other defenders of traditions, make uſe of to eſtabliſh them; as alſo of this Text alledged by Irenaeus, We ſpeak wiſdom among the perfect. A little after the Apoſtles, Papias Biſhop of Hierapolis, applied his mind to unwritten traditions, which were parables, and ſtrange Doctrines, and other fabulous things, as Euſebius ſaith in the laſt chapter of the laſt book of his hiſtory.
Clemens Alexandrinus, who among many vertues had alſo his defects, was much given to traditions not contained in Scripture. He(k)Strom. l. 1. & 6. taught that the Pagans were juſtified by Philoſophy, and that it was neceſſary before the coming of the Lord, and that it was a Schoolmaſter unto Chriſt. That Chriſt had preſcribed to the Jews twelve years for a term of repentance;(l)Strom. 6. That not only Chriſt, but the Apoſtles alſo deſcended into hell to preach repentance, and many ſuch Doctrines, which the Roman Church of our dayes doth not receive.
Within theſe traditions our Adverſaries intrench themſelves when they are preſt by the Scripture, and ſay that this unwritten word is found in the mouth of the Church, that is, that it depends from the will of the Pope, and of thoſe that govern the Roman Church under him.
Now although the(m)Seſſ. IV. Pari pietatis affectu & reverentiā. Council of Trent equal thoſe traditions with the holy Scripture, commanding that they be received with the like reverence and affection of piety as the holy Scripture; Nevertheleſs traditions have really a greater authority with the Roman Church then the holy Scripture; Since the Romaniſts ground the authority of Scripture upon tradition, and upon the teſtimony of the Church. Certainly if the tradition of the Church can change that which God commandeth in Scripture (as the Cardinal will have it) it follows, that Tradition hath more authority then Scripture. Or if Scripture muſt be believed, becauſe the tradition of the Church preſcribes it, what followeth but that the tradition of the Church is more to be believed then Scripture? Whence alſo the Jeſuit Coſterus in his Manual, chap. 1. calleth the tradition printed in the heart of the Church, another kind of Scripture.(n)Hujus Scripturae praeſtantia multis partibus ſuperat Scripturas quas nobis in membranis Apoſtoli reliquerunt, &c. The excellency of that Scripture (ſaith he) far ſurmounteth the holy Scriptures, which the Apoſtles have left in parchments; Firſt, becauſe that is written by the finger of God, the other is written with the Pens of the Apoſtles. Salmeron in the third part of the XIII. Tome, in the 8. Diſpute, pronounceth this goodly Aphoriſm, Tradition hath all things neceſſary to ſalvation, yea more then Scripture. (o)§. Secunda. Traditio eſt ſcriptura antiquer.He addeth, Tradition is more antient then Scripture. Again,(p)Scriptura dubiorum quae pullulabant judex eſſe non poterat, &c. Tum quia difficilis eſt & quia muta eſt, &c. Non mittitur ad Scripturas quae inſtar naſi cerci ducuntur, quo quis vult, &c. Scripture cannot be Judge of doubts, becauſe it is hard and dumb, and like a noſe of wax which is drawn any way, &c. Wherefore ſuch as will be inſolent, cannot be convinced by Scripture; but with the only tradition we muſt cut their throats. Again, Tradition is more firm then Scripture. And a little after, Tradition is far more univerſal then Scripture, and extends to a longer time, and hath more matters, and more perſons then Scripture; Yea that Jeſuit goeth ſo far, as to ſay, that(q)Salmer. 2. Proleg. §. Septimo. Non mirum ſi Eccleſiae Dei quae Spiritum habet, ſubjiciatur Scriptura. Scripture is ſubject unto the Church which hath the Spirit. Now to be ſubject unto the Church, and unto the tradition of the Church, is all one. Which is the ſame thing that Lindanus ſaith in Panoplia, (r)In Indice titulorum, l. 5. c. 5. Eccleſiam non eſſe ex voluntate Chriſti Scripturae alligatam.The Church was not tyed to Scripture by the Will of Chriſt. And the Jeſuit Coſterus in his Manual,(ſ)Chriſtus nec Eccleſiam à chartaceis Scriptis pendere, nec membranis ſua myſteria committere voluit. Chriſt would not have his Church to depend from Scriptures of paper, and would not commit his myſteries to parchment. And Stapleton in the ſecond book of the authority of Scripture, chap. 11.(t)Stapl. Dixi & dico, non tam ipſius fidei regulam in ſe eſſe Scripturam, quam ipſarum Scripturarum regulam eſſe fidem Eccleſiae. I have ſaid, and ſay again, that Scripture in herſelf is not ſo much the rule of Faith, as the faith of the Church is the rule of Scripture. Now by the Faith of the Church, the tradition of the Church is underſtood; and by the Church, they underſtand the Roman; and by the Roman, they underſtand the Pope, in whom reſideth the whole authority of the Roman Church. So the Pope is ſet above God, ſpeaking in the Scriptures; Wherefore they are gravelled, when they are asked whether the Pope be ſubject to the holy Scripture?
Did ever any of their Doctors ſay of the Traditions, that which they ſay of the h…ly Scriptures? Did they ever call the Traditions a piece of a rule, a noſe of wax, a ſtumbling block, a dumb rule, a ſword for both hands, an obſcure and ambiguous Doctrine which cannot be judge, &c? In a word, they will have Tradition, not Scripture to be Judge. And their practice juſtifieth it; for in the Roman Church, the people is a thouſand times more carefully inſtructed in the tradition, then in the Doctrine of ſalvation contained in the holy Scripture. The very idiots among them know what belongs to Lent and Emberweeks; what meats are forbidden on certain days; and ſpeak of Holy days, Vigils, Pilgrimages, Relicks, great Pardons, Obits, Beads, Roſaries, &c. But many that go for learned, are ignorant in the Doctrine of our Redemption, and free Adoption, and Juſtification by Faith, and about the Offices and Natures of our Redeemer, and about the relation between the New and the Old Teſtament, which are the funmentals of Chriſtian Religion. Confirmation being of humane invention, is more honoured then Baptiſm, which is inſtituted by Chriſt. For Confirmation is not conferred but by the Biſhop; But Baptiſm may be conferred by a Woman, yea by a Pagan Woman, yea by a Pagan Whore. Of ſins againſt Gods Law, as Fornication, Murther, Perjury, Adultery, Prieſts and Biſhops give abſolution; but they cannot abſolve them that have moleſted thoſe that go to Rome to gain pardons, or robbed the victuallers that carry proviſion to the Court of Rome, nor Princes and Magiſtrates that levy Tenths upon the Clergy, nor them that appeal from the Pope unto the future Council. Theſe are caſes reſerved unto his Holineſs, except only in the Article of death. They are traditions, which to tranſgreſs, is a greater ſin then to tranſgreſs the Law of God. If a Prieſt marry for a remedy to his incontinence, according to the Apoſtles command, he fals into irregularity, and becomes unable to ſing Maſs; but not for keeping many Concubines, or for being a Sodomite, as we learn of Pope(u)Innoc. III. Extra. de bigamis, c. Quia circa. Poſtulaſti per ſedem Apoſtolicam edoceri ſi Presbyteri plures concubinas habentes, bigami cenſeantur. Ad quod duximus reſpondendum quod cum irregularitatem non incurrerint cum eis tanquam ſimplici fornicatione notatis poteris diſpenſare. Innocent the III. and of(x)Navar. Tom. 2. cap. ad inferendam 23. qu. 3. de defenſione proximi, c. 35. §. Decimum. Reſpondendum eſt crimen Sodomiae non comprehendi in criminibus quae irregularitatem inducunt. Navarrus the Popes penitentiary.
It is no wonder that in the Roman Church Tradition hath more authority then Scripture. For the Popes ſucceſſion in Saint Peters Primacy, is a tradition, which is the foundation of his Empire. He hath then a great intereſt to exalt tradition, upon which his domination is founded.
Beſides, all traditions are lucrative unto the Pope, and ſerve to exalt and enrich the Pope and his Clergy. He draweth great profits from Indulgences, private Maſſes, Diſpenſations, Annals, Suffrages for the dead, and from Purgatory. By the confeſſions the Confeſſors know the ſecrets of families, and the intentions of Princes, and have a King kneeling before them, confeſſing his ſins, and craving pardon, and undergoing penances at their diſcretion. Clergy-men reſerving to themſelves and Kings the Cup in the Sacrament, raiſe themſelves above the people, and make themſelves fellows to Kings. By the Tranſubſtantiation they arrogate to themſelves the power of making God with their word, and hold Jeſus Chriſt ſhut up in a box. By the ſacrifice of the Maſs they make themſelves Prieſts after the order of Melchiſedeck, and ſacrifice Jeſus Chriſt unto his Father, having no command of God for that. The images of God the Father arrayed like a Pope, make the ignorant to beleeve that the Pope is like unto God. By holy dayes the Pope uſurpeth the power of ſhutting up the Shops, and hindring the ſitting of Courts of Juſtice and Councils of State. By the diſtinction of meats, the Pope rules the markets, and the kitchins, and the bellies, and the Tables of Kings. By the canonization of Saints h… gives his ſervants to be adored by the Nations, and raiſeth to heaven ſuch as have faithfully ſerved him: By the Sacrament of Penance he chaſtiſeih Kings and Princes, impoſing corporal and pecuniary puniſhments, and changing when he liſteth the corporal into pecuniary: By the Abſolution Prieſts forgive ſins, and bear themſelves as Judges in Gods cauſe; For God is the offended party, and the Prieſt is the Judge. By the adoration of Images, and the prohibition of reading Scripture in the vulgar tongue, the Pope keeps the people in ignorance, that they may not know the abuſe and the tyranny. By the ſervice in the Romane language the Pope tameth the people to the Roman Religion, and giveth his language to the nations which he hath ſubdued. The diſpenſations which the Pope giveth to Princes, of marrying in the forbidden degrees and unlawfull by the Word of God, oblige the children born of thoſe marriages to maintain, the Papall authority; for if that authority were ſhaken, one might doubt whether they were lawfull. The power which the Pope uſurpeth to take from Kings both their Crowns and their lives, and to diſpoſe of Kingdoms, makes him King of Kings, and Monarch over the whole temporall of the earth. Who ſhall wonder now that the Pope labours with all his power to raiſe the authority of Traditions above that of the Law of God, ſince they are ſo lucrative unto him? And whereas he is Maſter of Traditions, and having made them he can change them, no wonder if he ſticks to them, but he can neither aboliſh Scripture, nor make another at his pleaſure.
For our part, we know no other word of God but that which is contained in the Old and New Teſtament, which God hath inſpired unto his Prophets and Apoſtles. And holding that word for a perfect Rule of our faith, we reject all additions unto the doctrine of ſalvation contained in the holy Scriptures, either in expreſſe words or in equivalent terms.
Yet do we not abſolutely reject all traditions, ſince Scripture it ſelf is a tradition, as Cyprian ſaith in the 74 Epiſtle to Pompeius. Whence comes this tradition? doth it come from the authority of the Lord and the Goſpel, or from the doctrine and Epiſtles of the Apoſtles? And a little after, If it be commanded in Scripture, or in the Epiſtles, or in the Acts of the Apoſtles, let that holy and divine tradition be obſerved. Beſides there be many things that concern Eccleſiaſticall policy and outward order, which we would not reject, although they be not in Scripture; ſo that there be nothing in them againſt good manners, and that they exceed not in number, and that they be not given as neceſſary to ſalvation, and equalled to the doctrine of faith contained in the Scripture. Alſo if there be any tradition which adds nothing to the holy Scripture, but be an acknowledgement of the perfection of the ſame, and barre all addition to it; as that ſuch and ſuch books are ſacred and Canonicall, which is a tradition ariſing from the nature it ſelf of Scripture, we receive it willingly. Moreover, if one call traditions the doctrines which are not found in formall texts in the Scripture, but are found in it in equivalent terms, or are drawn out of it by neceſſary conſequence, we reject not thoſe traditions. We reject thoſe only that cannot be received without admitting ſome defect in Scripture, as if it contained not the whole doctrine of ſalvation. As Hierome ſaith,(y)Hier. in Pſ 98. Omne quod loquimur, debemus affirmare de Scripturis ſanctis. Whatſoever we ſay, we ought to affirm it by the holy Scriptures. And Auſtin, Let us hear no more among us, This I ſay, and that thou ſayeſt, but the Lord ſaith this. We have the books of the Lord, to whoſe authority both of us conſent, and beleeve it, and ſerve it: There let us ſeek the Church, there let us decide our cauſe. Again,(z)Aug l. de unitate Eccleſiae. Auferantur illa de medio quae adverſus nos invicem, non ex divinis Canonicis libris ſed aliunde recitamus. Let us remove all that we bring, the one againſt the other, from any other place but the Canonicall Scriptures.